1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of electrical and electronic devices; more particularly, the technical field of electrical energy storage and capture devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reliable, long-lasting, quick-cycle electricity storage is a missing piece of modern smart-grid infrastructure puzzle. Lack of such storage capability is the reason that electrical energy's utilization pattern has largely been a contemporaneous generator-to-load, closed loop since its characterization in the 17th century. Efficient storage of electrical potential has remained an elusive, yet desirable, goal.
Early discoveries in chemistry and physics led to the development of devices such as the Leyden jar (essentially an air-gap capacitor), and electrolytic batteries, which utilize ionic-exchange chemical reactions to induce electro-motive force (“EMF”) in submerged metallic electrodes.
These solutions, while not perfect, have yet allowed the use of electrical energy at times and in locations where immediate generation was not possible. However, for large-scale (especially grid-scale) storage and use, both batteries and capacitors have some serious drawbacks. Batteries have a very short lifespan in terms of charge-discharge cycles (currently, less than 10,000), some have charge-memory, some are very heavy, and nearly all are made with toxic and/or environmentally harmful chemistries. Capacitors have a long lifespan but suffer charge leakage and have a very low capacity compared to batteries.
The hunt for a clean and long-lived solution to these issues is the subject of research and development on a global scale. Unfortunately, some of the best solutions discovered so far use some very toxic chemistries, have high operating temperature ranges (over 100° C.), or are very expensive and difficult to maintain. Some (like Li-Ion) even have fire-safety risks.
Therefore, the need exists for electrical energy storage which is long-lived, inexpensive to maintain, safe and environmentally sound (not to mention, rapid to charge and discharge).